Summary A Level 'Othello' Quotation, Context and Analysis Bank
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This 'Othello' revision resource contains a scene-by-scene summary of quotes, each accompanied by in-depth analysis, critcal quotations and context.
It is all you need to revise for Othello for A level English Literature.
A1S1 Iago convinces Roderigo
Venice, a street at night. Opens ‘in media res’, with the characters engaged in dispute so the
scene is set for conflict.
- Iago “But he, as loving his own pride and purposes, evades them, with bombast
circumstance horribly stuffed with epithets of war” 1.1.12 Arrogant, boastful and
obsessed with violence and war. Exaggerated importance.
- Iago “One Michael Cassio, a Florentine… never set a squadron in the field” 1.1.19 Iago’s
awareness of foreigners. Sees Cassio as an inexperienced outsider. Unworthy. Ken
Jacobsen “with the air of an oratorical connoisseur, he mocks Othello’s inflated
militaristic rhetoric”. Machiavellian villain. Iago is a type of character known in
Shakespeare’s time as a “Machiavel” – a villain who, like a puppet master, adheres to
the teachings of the political philosopher Machiavelli and allows nothing to stand in
his way in his quest for power. Machiavelli is a famous Florentine, so it is ironic that
Iago – who is cunning and manipulative – should identify Cassio as such.
- Iago “You’ll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse, you’ll have your
nephews neigh to you” 1.1.110 Metaphor that uses animal terminology in reference
to Othello’s North African decent to illustrate hostility towards Othello’s ethnicity and
interracial marriage. Alliteration for emphasis of distain. The Great Chain of Being was
a hierarchical system that ranked all living things. The system was believed to be
divinely ordained , with humans at the top, followed by animals, plants and then
inanimate objects. “They had also the basic and ancient sense that black is the colour
of sin and death” G.K Hunter
S2 Othello is calm when confronted
- Othello “My parts, my title and my perfect soul shall manifest me rightly. Is it they?”
Iago “By Janus I think no.” 1.2.30 Confident assertion that his qualities, flawless soul
and military title will reveal him correctly as he is. Blank verse highlights his stature in
society and contradicts expectations of a Jacobean audience. “Janus”, the Roman god
of duality and beginnings is often depicted as having two faces. Reveals the duplicity
of Iago’s character in direct antithesis to Othello’s open honesty. Dramatic irony.
Othello is not the bestial man previously described by Iago. This raises questions about
the validity of Iago’s racial prejudice. Questions of this sort had to be muted, but as
‘Othello’ is set abroad, Shakespeare is able to discuss controversial topics without
directly criticising the English monarch. “A great man naturally modest but fully
conscious of his worth” AC Bradley
- Othello “Keep up your bright swords, for the dew will rust them.” 1.2.58 Gentle
sarcasm. Averts violence with a single sentence that echoes Christ. Poetic language
and natural imagery portray Othello as a peace maker. Blank verse. Biblical allusion as,
in John, Christ and his followers are met in the dark by officers carrying swords and
torches. They are informed of Christs whereabouts by Judas, who pretends to side with
, Christ in the ensuing confrontation. “Othello is like a hero of the ancient world in that
he is not a man like us, but a man recognised as extraordinary” Helen Gardener
S3 Senate
- Othello “Rude am I in my speech and little blest with the soft phrase of peace” 1.3.82
Although Othello claims that he is unskilled and not accomplished as a public speaker,
he speaks eloquently and persuasively. His speech is the epitome of peace and
humility, especially when contrasted to the harsher speech of Brabantio. Evident is
Othello’s blindness to some aspects of his person.
- Othello “She loved me for the dangers I had passed and I loved her that she did pity
them” 1.3.168 The foundations of their love, emphasised by blank verse. Seems
somewhat shallow.
- Desdemona “My noble father, I do perceive here a divided duty” 1.3.180 Des proves
herself to be brave by standing up to her father, and even partially rejecting him in
public. She speaks truthfully and thoughtfully and – out of respect – acknowledges her
duty to her father. Dental alliteration. Although ‘Othello’ is considered a Jacobean play
and was received by Jacobean audiences, the context in which it was conceived was
Elizabethan. Significantly, having a recent female monarch led to the questioning of
patriarchal ideals, allowing Shakespeare to depict Desdemona in a strikingly
progressive way. “Desdemona becomes a stereotype of female passivity” Lisa Jardine
- Brabantio “For your sake, jewel, I am glad at soul I have no other child, for thy escape
would teach me tyranny to hang clogs on them” 1.3.196 Clogs are blocks of wood
attached to the neck of man or beast to prevent escape. Hyperbole. “Jewel” is a term
of endearment but one that reveals Des’s status as an ornamental object rather than
an individual with agency and desires. Jacobean women were viewed as inferior and
subject to male patronage. They were forced into purely domestic roles and would
have had to conform and comply on pain of rejection, violence or death.
- Othello “my ancient: A man he is of honesty and trust” 1.3.284 Epithet attached to
Iago – honest. Extreme dramatic irony in Othello’s advocating for Iago. Portrays Iago
as a Machiavellian villain who is able to manipulate those around him and thus builds
suspense. Telling lies was considered a far more serious matter as Satan told lies to Eve
in the garden of Eden. In this way, Iago would be considered a devil for his dishonesty.
- Duke “If virtue no delighted beauty lack your son-in-law is far more fair than black”
1.3.290 Here, internal rhyme gives the Duke a prophetic tone as he placates Brabantio.
“Black” has dual meaning, referring to both Othello’s race and (according to usage at
the time) meaning ‘ugly’. At face value, the Duke says that if virtue can be beautiful,
then Othello is indeed “fair” and thus promotes justice and fairness over racial
stereotypes. However, as Othello is black the Duke may mean that Othello is more
“fair” than those of his race. Richard Burbage - a white man wearing makeup and a
wig – was the first to play Othello. Having a white actor play Othello may have
contributed to the play’s popularity, as it would have been more palatable to Jacobean
audiences who were not accustomed to seeing black actors on stage. A modern
audience would be more critical of casting choices that perpetuate racial stereotypes.
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